Nicholas Restaurant

I often can't decide between Nicholas' and Ya Hala as both have fantastic food and friendly servers. Today I chose Nicholas' as I was in the area but I plan not to go again in spite of the great service and my favorite, the Shatta pizza. I had a 20 minute lunch before the manager/owner? asked me in an agitated voice to leave because she had people waiting. This was very offensive as the gentlemen next to me were there when we arrived and were nowhere near finishing their lunch. I understand restaurants need to make a buck but they don't have to wear the greed on their sleeve. Next time I will drive out of the way to Ya Hala where the owner is often seen chatting with tables and making everyone feel like a regular. Pros: food and service Cons: management's attitude more

It's very packed so when you first walk in you may think everyone is at Nicholas. But that?s to be expected once you taste the food you will understand. Nicholas serves some of the best food I have ever tasted. The Meza was great and their freshly baked pita bread is amazing. Since the place was so busy I was expecting below par service but Nicholas proved me wrong. Roberto, our server, was very out going and gave us impeccable service. I could go on and on about this restaurant. If you've never been make it a point to go soon. Pros: Food, Service, Price Cons: very busy more

I went to Nicholas' Restaurant for the first time last night (Friday) and I was seated promptly and given water immediately, which was nice on a cold and windy evening. They're known for their small restaurant and huge portions of food and I was not dissapointed by the rumors floating about in PDX. I actually have an affinity for small, family owned restaurant's so the atmosphere of small tables right next to eachother and the music playing to provide ambiance were a blessing and provided a temporary sanctuary to enjoy the experience. I ordered the Vegan Mezza Plate and the warm pita bread was brought out first, after only a few minutes and then came the fresh tabouli, hummus, baba ganoush, and hot falafel, all of which was cooked perfectly and served with a nice presentation. As I am a huge fan of pita bread, I asked the friendly and attentive waitress for more bread, with a smile and a nod my request was validated and no more than 2 minutes later she came with 2 more huge slices to eat with my Mezza Plate. As I was nearing the point of being full, she brought out a plate of rice w/ lentils and another dish with garbanzo beans which were great and flavorful, this is truly a great restaurant and the food portions are amazing. I highly suggest anyone with a vegetarian or vegan diet to indulge in this great Lebanese restaurant. The total for all of the food was $8.25!!!!, this is incredible, I left Nicholas' with enough food left over for another full meal! The staff is friendly and the food is great, I have eaten at a lot of Middle Eastern Restaurants coming from the Bay Area and this is by far one of my top 2 of all time. Go now, bring your family, friends or lover and enjoy the good food and vibes... Pros: Friendly Staff, Great Food, Huge Portions, Veggie/Vegan Friendly, Cheap, Healthy Cons: Small restaurant-not a lot of space for group seating more

Nicholas Restaurant sets the standard for Middle Eastern food in this town. After 20 years their food is still great and the portions huge. Pros: giant yummy servings, authentic recipes, only genuine location Cons: for drivers - parking challenges - take the bus, ride your bike or walk! more

i love nicholas'....always fresh, always delicious. hell, the fresh, HUGE, pipin' hot pita can't be beat. i LOVE how it has those big air pockets in them! anyways, my only complaint is how they advertise their baklava as VEGAN...and it's NOT. they specifically list HONEY as an ingredient, so pass on it...but feel free to express that you want them to take the vegan label off. if you want REAL VEGAN baklava, go to Ya Hala. they have 2 different kinds you can choose from. Pros: family run, FRESH pita!!!, hummus is awesome Cons: vegan baklava is NOT vegan, can be wait on weekend nights, SE Grand can be a sketchy area sometimes more

We recently (11/26/2006) went to Nicholas' restaurant with the mission of finding well-seasoned food at a reasonable price. My parent's (world-traveled food connoisseur's) were as impressed as we were by the abundance of flavor and textures offered in our dinner. I had a chance to try everything we ordered. Pros: Good flavors, friendly staff, large selection Cons: Small dining area more

We have always been treated well. Great food, good service. The wait during busy times can be a lot if you are not expecting it, but if you know what you are getting into it is worth the wait. The staff is uniformly helpful, with a few excellent standouts. Very flavorful food, excellent pita bread, close quarters. A definite recommend for good friends. more

God, I can't even think about this place without going into a mini-food-orga*m. Each and every time I go to Nicholas' I am amazed at the quality of the food (I've never had anything short of a fantastic meal) and at the value (the Mezza plate easily makes for two meals, all for under $9). Although Nicholas' is known for being affordable, that's just a bonus. The real attraction is the food, oh the glorious food--incredible homemade hummus, falafel, Lebanese salad, kebab, tatziki, the list goes on and on and on... You won't be disappointed. Pros: Amazing food!!! Cons: No credit cards, no reservations. more

The food here is pretty good. I've had the chicken kebabs and the chicken platter, both of which have some pretty fantastic seasonings. I've tried some of the dishes my companions have ordered, and the food has always been pretty decent. Beware if you order anything with tahziki sauce, though. It's not really a sauce at all; it's just sour cream and yogurt and pretty gross. Pros: affordable decent food Cons: waiting outside more

seriously - Ya Hala is way better. Portlanders - let go of the past and move on. Not that this place is bad - it's fine - but by no means the best. more

I always love eating Nicholas when it is hot because the food is so refreshing and when you're done you don't feel gross. Great portions! I love the chicken kabobs- they have a great juicy taste with a great seasoning. The falafel is very tasty- good texture and full of flavor. And when you go you have to have the peach juice- a drink that is almost as like a smoothie, but not as thick. My boyfriend gets the meatmeza because of the variety of flavor it offers- and you can't beat the price! more

I don't know what all the fuss is about and why there are always lines out the door. The food is very bland - and that is being very generous. I had the falafel and it tasted like it was made out of a dry mix. And there was no tahini sauce but instead, one made with yogurt. Can you believe it? What sacrilege! Get real people, there is nothing special about this place. Amd what about the no cc or debit card policy - whats that all about? Pros: passable baba ganoush Cons: food not seasoned properly more

Personally I didn't like my entree, but my friend ate it later, and he loved it. I liked the hummus, but it seemed like other hummus I've had. The food's probably good based on the popularity, but not my thing. The place was extremely busy, and I don't think they take reservations. Our waiter never came to our table after bringing our food. Pros: Food, Price not bad Cons: Service poor, Extremely Busy more

This is the BEST cheap place to eat in portland! I love it. Food is excellent. Waiters are cute! Ambiance is great. Give yourself sometime to wait for a seat though because they are often very busy. Love this place! more

I am frustrated with Nicholas' because while I love love LOVE their food, and it's the best lunch spot in town, I rarely carry cash. So I am constantly thrown off at the end of my meal when I can't pay with my card. Not only do they not have a machine on site, but the nearest bank is 6 blocks away! COME ON! Raise your prices a dollar and get a card reader for goodness' sake...this is the 21st century!!! Pros: food, service, prices Cons: cash/check only, parking, ambience more

We've been coming to ""N's"" for years. The place went through a minor update but the food is still the great food that it always was. Whether it's baba ganoush or hummis and flat bread, you can't go wrong. more

I had the Shawarma combo lunch and it was great! The lunch includes the Shawarma sandwich which had awsome seasoning, salad, humus, and bread. It's a lot of lunch, so be hungry! Nichas' has great food but limited seating. I went at about 2:30P.M. and was able to get seat when I walked in, but I would imagine there is a waiting list during peak times. Pros: Great Food Cons: Limited Space more

This had been my favorite local restaurant, but I'm very disappointed in the service this weekend. It had been a place to take out-of-town guests whenever they visited. I wanted to place an order for one of their party platters in the early afternoon on a Friday when they did not seem as busy as usual. I wanted to pick up the order on Saturday evening. They told me to call on Saturday 2-3 hours before I wanted to pick up the platter. I did so, and they said they needed 24 hours notice for party platters. The food is great at Nicholas', but the service this weekend just caused them to lose my business. Pros: food quality Cons: service, parking, crowded more

The setting isn't much to look at, but the food is amazing and you will depart with leftovers and a chunk of change as the prices are so affordable. Pros: Great flavors, Inexpensive, Nice staff Cons: Crowded more

Very good middle eastern food. Cheap food, excellent flavor and very well spiced. That's not an easy combination. It lacks atmosphere, but you come here for the food. Its worth a small wait to get a table. This will easily become a favorite! Pros: Good food!, Cheap, Decent service Cons: Long wait, Lacks charm more